Published 11:21 pm, Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The agency is investigating four Metro-North incidents, but these specific recommendations arise from the Dec. 1 derailment of a train on a sharp curve in the Bronx that killed four people and injured 59 others in which excessive speed has been identified as a factor.

In a letter dated Tuesday and sent to new Metro-North President Joseph Giulietti, the agency calls for permanent signs to warn engineers in advance of areas where speed restrictions are in force as an additional reminder to slow down.

However, the NTSB said the signs might not have prevented the Dec. 1 derailment on the Hudson Line near Spuyten Duyvil.

"The NTSB believes that Metro-North should take additional steps by implementing a more systematic approach and install such signs where all permanent speed restrictions are in place," NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman wrote. "It is crucial that locomotive engineers and conductors know the location of speed restrictions that are identified."

In the Bronx crash, the NTSB found that the train was going 82 mph entering the curve where the speed limit was 30. The train's engineer, William Rockefeller, told investigators he went into a daze in the moments before the train left the rails.

The NTSB recommendation covers any location where there is a permanent speed restriction in place on Metro-North's three lines, and the railroad would need to survey all the locations to comply with the recommendation, Metro-North spokesman Aaron Donovan said.

The board also recommended the installation of rear- and forward-facing cameras on board all locomotives and cab cars where engineers control the trains, which can assist in post-accident investigations.

"The images and audio captured by recorders can be invaluable to our investigators," said Hersman. "Understanding what is happening inside the cab just prior to a crash can provide crucial information about how to prevent future accidents."

Two months ago, Metro-North established speed restrictions on curves and bridges in advance of completing signal work on the New Haven Line.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said the NTSB's recommendations underlined the need for Metro-North to install the cameras to boost safety and the consciousness of engineers that they need to remain attentive.

"If Metro-North fails to heed these calls, then it may have to be required by legislation or specific orders by the Federal Railroad Administration with the force of law," Blumenthal said.

Last month, Blumenthal and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., asked the FRA to expedite a federal rule to require the inward and outward facing cameras on all locomotives.

"The recommendations reaffirm what we've been saying that inward- and outward-facing cameras can greatly enhance safety by making engineers more attentive," Blumenthal said. "These steps, while welcome, are only the beginning of aggressive, proactive measures that need to be imposed."

Donovan said Metro-North will work with the NTSB, but couldn't say how long installing the cameras on cabs and diesel locomotives might take.

"The safety and security of our customers is Metro-North's most important concern, and it is a concern we share with the NTSB," Donovan said. "We have received the NTSB's recommendations and we are studying them closely. Metro-North is working with the NTSB to address questions about implementation of the report's recommendations."